Calls for more support on UN women's day

Today is International Women's Day, or to put it more correctly, United Nations Day for Women's Rights and International Peace.

The United Nations started to observe International Women's Day in 1975. Since the 1976-1985 decade, which was also dedicated to women, the UN has intensified its initiatives towards gender equality, as well as towards the empowerment of women in all areas of life. This, especially in the light of the eradication of poverty and disease, in the achievement of sustainable development, and in the management of conflict and the building of peace.

The National Statistics Office marked the day by issuing statistics relating to women. In the past three decades, the gap between the male and female segments of the population has narrowed slightly. In 1982, females accounted for 51.5 per cent of the population while in 2002, this proportion stood at 50.4 per cent.

No drastic changes are envisaged for the next 50 years: demographic projections for 2050 put the percentage of females in the population at 50.2 per cent, it said.

As a rule, women live longer than men. In 2001, male expectation of life stood at 76 years while that for women stood at nearly 81 years. That said, both sexes experienced a considerable improvement in this respect during the past three decades. For men, this went up by nine per cent (from 1982) as against an 11 per cent increase for women.

The Labour spokesman for women's rights, Helena Dalli, criticised the government for failing to give legal protection to victims of domestic violence, in spite of promises made three years ago.

The Nationalist Party women's movement said in its statement that laws were not needed as much as were the structures of support that would allow a women to choose, and to increase the participation of women in the workforce.

The National Youth Council also lamented the low proportion of women working, and their under-representation in government, in political parties, and as leaders in civic society. It said that both men and women had the right to develop their talents and make choices without limitations imposed by stereotypes or prejudice.

The Social Action Movement focused on the importance of supporting women whether they chose to work, stay at home to look after their family, or to do voluntary work.

The National Commission Persons with Disability highlighted the plight of disabled women, who, it said, were less likely to marry than disabled men, had twice their divorce or separation rate, and were more vulnerable to violence and abuse. In Malta, it noted that 44 per cent of disabled men were working, compared to 67 per cent of men overall, while only 16 per cent of disabled women were working compared to 28 per cent of women overall.